Unsolved Mysteries *stopped*

18.1 Thursday

The clicking sound of the front door, carefully closing, wakes me. I open my eyes a little and yawn, then look at the empty place next to me. The sheets are still crumpled, but they have obviously been smoothed out. A little yellow post-it note is sticking to the pillow:

Sry, gotta work

hope you slept well?

love you xNiall

ps. ur cute when u sleep (:

I stare at the note and my heart jumps. Last night we cuddled and talked until i fell asleep. I'm a little disappointed that he had to leave so early, but then again, Niall's a busy guy. The band is working on their next album and their new single will be out soon. I have a look at the clock and realize i can still sleep for an hour or so. Lazily i let myself drop onto my pillow again. My hand reaches out impulsively, grabs the pillow next to me and pulls it to my face. I inhale the scent and then fall back into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Oh, so you're good again?"

Beth studies me with a skeptical expression, after i told her what happened last night. She didn't like the fact that i fell into his arms and everything was alright again.

I nod expectantly. I really hope that Beth has something good to say about Niall, it's important to me. However, her expression turns even more skeptical.

"So why did he avoid you? Why did he fuck off when you needed him?"

She says it so casually, yet her voice holds anger, disdain and some more skepticism. I know it may seem like Niall tried to get away from me, that's exactly what i thought, but he explained himself last night.

"Niall thought that what happened was his fault. He didn't want it to happen again."

"Of course."

The irony is dripping off her words while she studies her nails. I'm expecting a little more understanding and i don't want to feel the need to defend Niall in front of her.

"Bethany, why do you dislike Niall so much? You were the one who told me how much he liked me and that kind of stuff."

I ask all of a sudden. By now I've had enough of this.

Bethany's head jerks up and her blue eyes bore into mine.

"Because he treats you like shit and you put up with it."

"He doesn't treat me like shit."

I feel like pouting and crossing my arms stubbornly, like a small child, bit i don't.

"And what do you call the bet? Or the fact that he thinks he can tell you who to hang out with. You've know him for hardly three weeks!"

Bethany throws her arms in the air to underline her opinion.

I don't like this at all. Beth makes Niall look like a horrible person, which he's not. Niall is probably the most caring person I've met.

"But he was there when Ned wanted to hit me, he always makes sure I'm home safe, he comforts me when i feel bad - and i feel bad a lot."

I remember how he wrapped his arms around me the day he showed me his house, when i listened to their album and had to cry at the second song. He held me in his arms for what still feels like hours, the CD already stopped playing when he let go eventually.

"Phee, the good things he does look pretty tiny next to the bad things."

She says it calmly and clearly. Her words ring in my head.